There are many, many Italian dancers scattered around companies throughout the world. Some are in the corps de ballet, others are principal dancers, but all continue the tradition that made Italian dancers some of the most famous of all. Even leaving the men aside, we have Pierina Legnani (noted as 'maybe' being the first to perform 32 fouetté turns) who was a prima ballerina … [Read more...] about Dance in Italy – Spoleto Festival’s Dance Gala with Abbagnato, Vogel, Frola, Dato and many more on 30 June
Spoleto
Mikhail Baryshnikov: Time is cruel
After the success of Letter to a Man at the Spoleto Festival in July, Mikhail Baryshnikov will resume his role as Nijinsky on 11 September for a two-week run in Milan. Once again, he is collaborating with Bob Wilson. There is a lot of movement, a body language. Physically it’s more demanding than other works by Bob Wilson. I speak in Russian and English with a few words … [Read more...] about Mikhail Baryshnikov: Time is cruel
Baryshnikov and Bob Wilson take on Nijinsky in Milan: Letter to a Man
Mikhail Baryshnikov and Bob Wilson have been in Milan rehearsing their new project: Letter to a Man, inspired by the diaries of Vaslav Nijinsky, The diaries were written in six months in 1919 – says Baryshnikov – at the height of his breakdown… he wasn’t even thirty. It is a document of suffering from an immense artist. Henry Miller called it the most exciting and honest book … [Read more...] about Baryshnikov and Bob Wilson take on Nijinsky in Milan: Letter to a Man
Amici della Scala celebrates Lila de Nobili with Frigerio, Fracci, Bruson and …
The annual presentation of the latest additions to the series of books produced by the Amici della Scala (Friends of La Scala) is quite an event. It is held in the grand foyer on the first floor of Teatro alla Scala with the sovrintendente of the theatre, the unstoppable Anna Crespi who founded the association thirty years ago, and some of the biggest names in Milanese and … [Read more...] about Amici della Scala celebrates Lila de Nobili with Frigerio, Fracci, Bruson and …
Alessandra Ferri’s women: Cherì, Duse and Woolf… and heading La Scala?
Alessandra Ferri brings Martha Clarke's Chéri to the Ravenna Festival in two weeks, with the same cast that accompanied her for the piece's début at The Signature Theatre in New York: ABT's Herman Cornejo and actress Amy Irving. Although Charles Isherwood for The New York Times said that Clarke's choreography "sometimes falls into patterns of swooning sameness", of Ferri and … [Read more...] about Alessandra Ferri’s women: Cherì, Duse and Woolf… and heading La Scala?
Alessandra Ferri’s classy comeback
There are comebacks and comebacks: the rather sad, end-of-the-pier affair, because money's run out and there's alimony to pay; the small cameo 'because I miss the applause'; and Alessandra Ferri. Ferri's various comeback projects are classy with a piece being created for her by Martha Clarke based on Colette's novel Cherì with ABT's Herman Cornejo, a new ballet about … [Read more...] about Alessandra Ferri’s classy comeback
Mikhail Baryshnikov helps achieve the dream of Russian poet Josef Brodsky
Nobel prize-winning poet Josef Brodsky and ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov were good friends. Really good friends. Brodsky hated calling Baryshnikov 'Mikhail' or 'Misha' so he called him 'Mysh': mouse! He called himself Josef the Cat, adding in a little miaow afterwards This is how the pair always referred to each each. They met in 1974 in New York where the … [Read more...] about Mikhail Baryshnikov helps achieve the dream of Russian poet Josef Brodsky
Alessandra Ferri returns to the stage after 6 years
After hanging up her pointe shoes in 2007, Alessandra Ferri has announced her return to the stage. At 49 she has decided to début in a new work, The Piano Upstairs, at the Spoleto Festival on 28 June. When asked by Il Corriere della Sera if she missed the applause, she replied that yes, the applause to reward so much preparation was wonderful, but her return was down to … [Read more...] about Alessandra Ferri returns to the stage after 6 years
Rebecca Caine answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition
Q&A When did you start singing? As a professional at 19 thanks to being chucked out of the Guildhall. I always sang as a child. Why did you start singing? I simply loved it. I grew up with no tv and only classical music played at home. My parents were wonderful at taking us to opera. I saw Sutherland, Price, Gobbi and so on at a very young age. I decided to be a … [Read more...] about Rebecca Caine answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition
Spoleto Festival USA reveals 2012 season: Glass, k.d. lang and Dublin’s Gate Theatre
The American première of the Philip Glass opera "Kepler," a concert by vocalist k.d. lang, and the return of Dublin's Gate Theatre highlight the 36th season of the Spoleto Festival USA this spring, says The Boston Globe. Chamber music, acrobatic performances and orchestral concerts are also on the schedule for the festival that will light up 13 venues including theaters, … [Read more...] about Spoleto Festival USA reveals 2012 season: Glass, k.d. lang and Dublin’s Gate Theatre